Thursday, 3 October 2024

My Favorite Things . . .

 




These are some of the things in life that I enjoy and which make me happy, inspire me, or put a smile on my face. Maybe some of them are yours too.  Lets share! 



 

Acorns with their cute little caps . . . 


 

Toast and butter . . . 


 

Good vanilla ice cream  . . . 


 

October  . . .  aside from January, February, March, April, May, June, July, September, November and December, it's my favorite month!


 


Heart shaped lockets  . . . 


 

Old wooden spools of thread . . . 


 

Fabrics . . .  especially florals  . . . 


 

Pretty cardigans . . .  not something you see much of these days  . . .



 


Peter Rabbit . . . 


 


The grateful life . . .  gratitude.


 

Truth and positivity  . . . 


 


Meringues  . . .  sweet little puffs of air  . . . 


 


Sour dough  . . . I need to start a starter again  . . .  see if I can make it work here. I had great luck in the U.K.


 


Dancing leaves  . . . 



 


Fruitcakes . . . 


 


Pretty spoons  . . . 


 

Yes please  . . .  if only I was thinner  . . . 


 


Greengate  . . .  anything  . . . 


 

Vintage Florals  . . . 


 


Pretty cups  . . .  so sweet  . . . 


And those are my favorite things for this week. Perhaps some of them were yours also?


A thought to carry with you  . . . 


° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *.˛.°The most powerful weapon
against your daily battles is
finding the courage
to be grateful anyways.
~Unknown  •。★★ 。* 。
•。★★ 。* 。

 
Nutmeg Oct 2024


Somebody was laying on my lap yesterday as I was resting in my chair and I just couldn't resist taking a photograph of his beautiful ear hairs and butterscotch chin resting above his beautiful white apron. My little freckle-nosed boy.


Apple Cinnamon Muffins



In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Apple Cinnamon Muffins. Moist from the addition of grated apples. A delicious sweet cinnamon sugar topping. What's not to love?


I hope that you have a beautiful day filled with oodles of your favorite things. Whatever you get up to today, be safe and be happy. Don't forget!


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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════  


And I do too!    

   



Wednesday, 2 October 2024

Wednesday Witterings . . .

 



I am working on my new laptop this morning. It is a bit of an adjustment for me. The keyboard on my old one started to cock-up a few weeks back. I have a larger desktop kind of a one, but for some reason that one only wants to turn on when it feels like it, so I had ordered a new laptop which arrived at the end of last week. In the meantime, I had been using the old one with a portable keyboard that plugged into it. I can still use it that way of course, but it is very awkward to have your screen in one place and your keyboard in another. Or maybe it just takes getting used to.  

I have never been able to properly use the mouse thingie on laptops.  I can figure it out a bit, but don't know how to use it to scroll down pages, etc. Technology just does not come easy to me, although I do try to adapt to the times.  I need a teenager around here to help show me how to do things!  I think young people today are born knowing how to use all of this modern stuff! It just seems to come naturally to them.

My mother really did not like modern things. She refused to even have a debit card. She wanted to go into the bank to do her banking and she always had her pension cheques mailed to her, not directly deposited.  Nobody was having access to her bank account but her.

I am sure that there are still a lot of people like that in the world. Myself, I like modern technology for the most part. I just can't get my head around some of it. Okay, maybe a lot of it.  But I try. That has to count for something.


 

One thing which I have been struggling with is video.  I haven't done a new one yet, mostly because I am trying to find a recipe that I can cook in a video that doesn't involve me having to pause the video and then restart it again.  One that I can cook seamlessly in one go, and that is mainly because I don't know how to and haven't been able to figure out how to splice more than one video together without having one play in landscape and the next in portrait, which does not work very well at all for people who are trying to watch it.

My main option at the moment is cooking everything twice. Once, ahead of time, so that I can show the finished product and then in real time so that people can watch it being put together. not ideal. 

I have no idea of what to do for my next video. I am grasping for ideas for things which can be done all in one go without having to stop and start the video. I know consistency is the key for monetization, and I am failing at that. I need to find the key to unlocking the door to producing seamless videos.


 

I had been told that this week was the week for the fall clean up.  I am not sure about that. I had put out the broken metal shelves from the garage yesterday, but nobody took it away. Although, they did take away the large square flat thing that one of my neighbors had put out.  I don't know what to think of that. The shelving unit is still laying there at the end of my drive, along with the old hanging plastic plant pots.  I see in town lots of people have had stuff laying at the edges of their lawns for weeks now, waiting for pick up and it has been getting picked up. Cindy and Dan had put out a load of stuff and it got picked up. a few weeks back. I am not sure what to do.  I guess maybe try to load it into the car and drive it down to the tip? I am not sure that it would fit.

These are the types of things my son, who has a truck, and who lives just minutes away from me, could help me with. But alas that is not an option.  And the sons who would help live too far away to be able to do so.

Well, hopefully, someone will be around to pick it up soon.  I am remaining hopeful and have my fingers crossed.


 

About a year and a half ago I got myself one of those Lomi countertop composters. I have found that saving my compost in a small bin and then traipsing it down to the end of the street every couple of days is not ideal. It takes me too long to fill it and the bottom of the compost bag doesn't like it.  Plus, there are the fruit flies which drive me crazy. So I had gotten this composter, which works very well until it doesn't.  About a month ago the change filter light came on. It has two filters on it that are filled with charcoal that you need to empty and refill every so many times you run the program. Not a problem. I changed the charcoal in the filters, but the light would not go off, no matter how many times I pushed the button in order for it to do so.  Anyways, I contacted them, with photographs, etc. and they decided to issue me a replacement unit as it is still under warrantee.  It came yesterday.  I just need to unpack it and set it up and then put the old one back into the packaging from the new one and arrange pick up for it to be returned to the company.

When it is working properly it is a great little machine which is ideal for my small family.  The only things you cannot put into it are hard bones and shells, and cooked potato, liquids, etc.  Almost everything else can go in and it turns it all into a type of soil, which is good for the garden supposedly.  I just put it into a compost bag and take it down to the end of the street.  But it is not messy or smelly and it does not attract fruit flies.



 

Cats and boxes.  I had ordered some of the newer, smaller sized units of soup mixes from Mitchell's soup mixes. I find that their regular sized packages are far too much for me. Anyways, they came yesterday and after I unpacked the box, Nutmeg laid claim to the empty box.  I suppose it smelled like soup and herbs.  He stayed in it for quite a while and rolled around in it.  I don't know why they used such a large box to hold such a small amount, but hey ho!  Nutmeg really enjoyed it.

My mother's cat Pumpkin had a box that she used to like to sit and sleep in. It had tissue paper in it. It was always there for her.


 

It is hard to believe that we are already into the month of October.  This year has just flown by.  October is always a busy month, with my church's General Conference, and then Thanksgiving and then Halloween.  It is also one of my favorite months for exactly those reasons, as well as the leaf change and the cooling temperatures.  I do not think that the Octobers of today are as cool as they were when I was a child.  I can remember having to wear Winter clothing in October when I was a child.  Our Halloween costumes had to be able to fit over a snowsuit. It does not seem to get that cold these days.




My cousin posted some photos on his FB page of a bear that comes to visit his place frequently.  It looks pretty big. I was surprised when my sister and I were up the mountain the other day that we did not see any bears as they are quite common in that area.   I am not overly fond of being that close to bears. I find the idea quite scary to be honest.



I have recently moved my cats over to a lower fat dry food that I got at the Vets.  It is the same one my sister feeds her cats.  Its not cheap. I paid $109 for the bag. Hopefully it lasts a bit. At the moment I am mixing it half and half with their old food.  (They also get a quantity of wet food every day.) I will gradually decrease the amount of old food until it is only the new one they are getting. I am not sure how well they like it, but they are going to have to like it as I think they are both getting a bit overweight. I want to nip it in the bud before it gets too hard for them to lose weight, and they develop health problems.  I do have a Vets appointment for then at the beginning of December for their shots and a checkup. I really want them to be healthy as well as happy cats.

They sleep a lot.  I don't want them being too bored. That's why I have bird feeders and such. I enjoy watching the birds myself, but they enjoy watching them even more. 

And I guess I have run out of things to talk about this morning so I will leave you with a thought for the day . . . 


° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *.˛.“Do your little bit of good
where you are; its those
little bits of good put together
that overwhelm the world.
~Desmond Tutu
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •


Turkey Stuffing Meatballs



In The English Kitchen today . . .  Turkey Stuffing Meatballs.  This is a sheet pan supper that is quick and easy to make and comes out really delicious.  The meatballs bake on a separate sheet pan as the vegetables.  I chose to roast potatoes, brussels sprouts and carrots as a side for my meatballs. It is a full-sized recipe (at least for the meatballs) but no worries as they freeze well.

I hope that you have a beautiful day.  I am going up to the Farm Market a bit later on to pick up some fresh local cranberries.  I want to make some of my Christmas Chutney. Maybe that would be a good video to do?  Anyways, I so hope you have a great day. Stay safe. Be blessed. Be happy. Don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!    

   

Tuesday, 1 October 2024

A Day Book . . .

 



FOR TODAY, October 1st, 2024




OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...

The colors are brilliant. As you can see. What a difference in just a week as compared to last week. Simply beautiful. It is garbage day as well, but it's not raining. Occasionally it is a dry garbage day.  There is no rain expected in this area until Saturday. 



I thought you might also enjoy seeing a view from the other direction towards the start of the street.  I am surrounded by beauty for sure!


I AM THINKING ...

What a time I had yesterday. I needed to go to the store to pick up a few things.  As I was backing out of the garage, my car grabbed the shelves on the right hand side of the garage and brought them all down with a huge crash. My next door neighbor popped out of her door like a cuckoo clock to see what was the matter.  I was able to reassure her that I was okay.  (A bit shaken, but okay.)  My car was pretty okay as well, despite cans and bottles falling onto it. It does have one scratch which needs seeing to.  Some broken jars, dented cans and the shelf is unusable and sitting out by the road for fall cleanup. I put my father's ironing board that he had given me out as well as it was missing a rubber foot on one leg. I had replaced it a couple years ago. Cindy came over to help me clean everything up. I gave her the ironing board cover which was pretty much brand new. So was the ironing board for that matter, except for the missing foot. It made the board really wobbly and  so I never used it and I am pretty sure that dad never used it. The ironing board disappeared almost as soon as we put it out, but we never saw anyone take it, lol  I am so grateful for a sister who is so helpful.  Ready and willing to drop whatever she is doing to come and help me out in a sticky situation.  Whatever would I do without her???  I dread to think. Whether she likes to think of it this way or not, she has been one of God's greatest blessings in my life.


 

I AM ALSO THINKING ...

It is probably not a smart idea for me to keep my food storage out in the garage, but where else can I put it?  I don't have a lot of room here in the house for it.


Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos


IN THE KITCHEN ...

Crispy Shredded Chicken Tacos. These are quick, easy and delicious.  A wonderful mash up of taco-quesadilla-nacho.  Ready to dip and fill as you wish.  I really enjoyed these.



ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

Grandma's Honey Muffins. From Taste of Home. These look really good. Simple and uncomplicated.



 

LOOKING FORWARD TO ...

General Conference this weekend. Twice a year the leaders of my church and all of it's members worldwide get together for a conference which is telecast on YouTube for those who cannot be in Salt Lake in person.  We are treated to wonderfully inspiring talks from our church leadership, both male and female. I always come away from it inspired and uplifted. It is a time I really look forward to.  They are held the same time every year in the Spring, and in the Autumn.  I feast on their words for the six months in the middle. They have helped me with a lot of the emotional and spiritual trauma in my life. You will be able to access them and or find out more about them here. There are far worse ways to spend a weekend.


 

Remembering the beautiful Croissants we used to get on the Ferry over to France as well as the beautiful ones we got in France. They were phenomenal.  No croissant ever tasted better.  The French do them the best in the world.




SOMETHING NICE ...

Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Cindy had one and I liked it so much that I got one for myself. Invaluable when it comes to identifying wildflower and or/sketching them.  A wonderful tool. I had a book of English Cottages when I was in the U.K. with line drawings and sketches. I so wish that I had brought it back with me. I have been unable to find a copy since.



THIS I KNOW TO BE TRUE ...

We are compensated for all of our sorrows in time  . . . it can sometimes take a lifetime, but it will come. I have no doubt of that.


I AM WANTING TO CREATE ...


 

Cute hats for Blythe dolls  . . . 




Scrap Afghans  . . .  Janie Crow.  A real work of art.



Chunky Tree Garland  . . .  Delia Creates. 




Crochet for You.  Five Minute Stars. 


 


Matchbox creations  . . . 



 


OH MY GOODNESS ...

If there was ever a place to find fairies, this would be it  . . . 


 


LOVE, LOVE, LOVE ...

What's not to love?  So sweet . . . 






I AM READING ...

Everyman's England, by Victor Canning


A classic travelogue that brilliantly conjures 1930s Britain. In this series of pen-portraits of England from the 1930s, Victor Canning ‘evocatively captures the pattern and color of English life’ (The Bookseller), from Cumbria to Cornwall. Canning’s heart-warming and humorous observations of sleepy villages, pastoral scenes and busy industries are a delightful time capsule into life in England during the interwar years. ‘What does the word England mean to you? To all of us England means something different, and yet I think there is for every man and woman some little corner which is more England than anywhere else…’

It is an entertaining and fascinating read.  

"It was at this inn that I got, for a ridiculously small sum, a lunch which more than ever endeared me to Wharfedale, for after a man has had a morning full of beauty there is no better cap to it than a lunch which in itself is a thing of beauty. There was a rich, dark soup which was not only hot, but full of the flavour of vegetables, then turkey with thyme and parsley stuffing, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, a fruit tart with a crust it was a shame to break and a joy to eat, a portion of Wensleydale cheese and a cup of as good a coffee as you could expect in England."

It is a re-read. I did read it a number of years back and recreated a meal that he had described in the book on my EK page.  It was delicious.  You can find that post here. 


THINGS I LOVE ...


 

Good chips  . . . . 


 

Paris  . . . . 


 

Homemade Custard Creams  . . . 



 

Pears  . . .  in any way, shape or form.




 


A Club Sandwich  . . . . 





SOMETHING TO WATCH ...

Nobody Wants This on Netflix.  Love. Love.


A THOUGHT TO CARRY WITH YOU ...

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *.˛.“Not all positive change
feels positive in the beginning.
~C.S. Lewis  •。★★ 。* 。


And that is my daybook for this week!  Thanks always for being here!


  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰
⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆

  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 




✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•
*¨`*•. ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥╬
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Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!  

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!